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Braver Angels

Braver Angels (formerly Better Angels) is a non-profit organization founded in 2016 to combat political polarization. A nonpartisan group, it has over 9,500 members. Its projects include organizing citizens at the grassroots level, as well as developing influence within the political, academic, and media spheres of American life.

Organization

Braver Angels is headquartered in New York, New York, with local alliances in all fifty states. Additionally, there is a California Office. Every state has at least one State Coordinator, and each alliance has two co-chairs of opposite political affiliations.

The organization is led by its founder and president David Blankenhorn, who oversees an eleven-person Board of Directors.

The board of directors, leadership, and staff are equally split between liberals and conservatives.

Funding

A 501(c)(3) organization, Braver Angels attempts to split its funding equally from conservative and liberal sources. Membership dues are $12 annually. About half the budget goes to paid staff, and the other half to supporting its various programs.

History

Better Angels (2016—2020)

After the 2016 election David Blankenhorn called David Lapp to discuss the recent election and its effect on political polarization. Blankenhorn asked Lapp to bring together Trump and Clinton supporters in South Lebanon, Ohio.

Blankenhorn then reached out to Professor Bill Doherty to develop a program for that meeting based in techniques derived from family therapy exercises and geared towards guiding the participants in a structured political discussion.

The success of that weekend’s workshop spawned the first Better Angels alliance. The weekend is chronicled in the documentary Braver Angels: Reuniting America, directed by four-time Emmy award-winner Jim Brown, and produced by musician Peter Yarrow.

In 2017 Better Angels launched two bus tours meant to recruit and train new members. The first began in Waynesville, Ohio and ended in Philadelphia, PA. The next leg began in Washington DC, and concluded in Nashville, TN.

In 2018, Better Angels launched The Better Angels Podcast (now The Braver Angels Podcast). It is co-hosted by John Wood, Jr. the organization’s National Ambassador, and Ciaran O’Connor the Chief Marketing Officer, who interview political leaders in a manner meant to model respectful political exchanges.

Later that year, Better Angels hosted its first convention in Harrisonburg, VA, where attendees a formal public statement called “An American Declaration.”  The convention received significant media attention: it was featured on the front page of USA Today, and covered by PBS’ Nightline.

Braver Angels (2020—Present)

On April 1, 2020 Blankenhorn announced that Better Angles would be changing its name to Braver Angels in light of a legal settlement with the Better Angels Society. The name change became official on April 6 with a press release, the re-branding of the organization’s social media channels, and a four-minute promotional video.

Current Activities

Red/Blue Workshops

Braver Angels Workshops gather 5-8 “Red” (lean Republican) and 5-8 “Blue” (lean Democrat) citizens for structured conversations. Two moderators lead the exercises, which include a “Stereotypes Exercise” a “Fishbowl Exercise,” a “Questions Exercise” and a “How Can We Contribute Exercise.” Workshops are offered in both 3-hour and 6-hour formats.

Skills Workshops

Braver Angels Skills Workshops teach participants how to have respectful conversations with people they might otherwise look to avoid. Participants learn the following skills: tone setting, listening, speaking, and how to handle difficult moments. Unlike Red/Blue workshops, Skills Workshops do not have to be evenly split between Reds and Blues, and typically last 2 1/2 hours.

Braver Angels Debates

Braver Angels Debates are highly structured conversations, and unlike modern American political or academic debates are not concerned with winning votes or points from judges. Debates operate under Parliamentary Style Rules. A resolution is either supported or opposed by speakers. The chair, the leader of the debate, then calls on people to ask questions of the speaker. The questioners address the chair, not the speaker directly. Participants are encouraged to say exactly what they believe, instead of arguing a case that they can better support but not might believe personally. The usual size of a debate is 20-30 people, though sometimes can reach up to 50.

Depolarizing Within Workshops

Depolarizing Within Workshops teach people self-awareness about their own polarizing tendencies, and how to talk to like-minded peers who speak critically about people with opposing political views. It also teaches people how to be critical of those they disagree with, without demonizing them.

Braver Angels Media

Braver Angels Media oversees all written and video output created by Braver Angels staff and contributors, as well as Braver Angels social media presence. Regular and guest writers both opine about current events and discuss various aspects of polarization from different political perspectives. Braver Angels Media also releases original online videos.

The Braver Angels Podcast features John Wood, Jr. and Ciaran O’Connor interviewing political leaders in a manner meant to model respectful political exchanges.

Braver Angels Alliances

Braver Angels Alliances are local gatherings of people who have participated in a Red/Blue Workshop and are current dues-paying members of Braver Angels. Alliances have one Red and one Blue co-chair. There are no official duties, but typical activities of Alliances include: sponsoring Braver Angels events (such as workshops and debates), discussing specific political issues at meetings, organizing members to write letters to the editor in local newspapers, attending town halls, inviting politicians to speak at meetings. Alliances might also host social gatherings such as potlucks and movie nights.

Partner Organizations

Braver Angels is a partner member of the Listen First Project.